BSP supremo Mayawati threatens to resign from Rajya Sabha
NEW DELHI : In a dramatic move, BSP chief Mayawati on Tuesday announced that she will resign from Rajya Sabha after she was “not allowed” to speak in the Upper House on Dalit attrocities. Emotionally charged Mayawati’s announcement stunned the Opposition as well her party MPs, who tried to convince her not to take he step.
“I have no moral right to be in the House if I am not allowed to put across my views on atrocities being committed against Dalits,” she said.After walking out of the House, the BSP supremo briefed the media. She said: “I have come to this House to be the voice of the Dalits and backwards — to raise their issues. But when I am not allowed to speak then why should I stay here.”
“That’s why I have decided to resign as a Rajya Sabha member today (Tuesday),” Mayawati added. Kurien said she can only call for a discussion after giving a notice under rule 267 that seeks adjournment of proceedings to take up an issue and not make a speech to initiate a discussion.
A discussion can begin only after the Chair, on the advise of the government, accepts the notice and agrees for a discussion.
Kurien rose from his seat in an attempt to calm her down but Mayawati refused to agree saying she has no right to be in the House if she cannot protect the rights of her community. Invoking B R Ambedkar who stepped down as Law Minister after he could not push a law, Mayawati told reporters outside Parliament, “I am putting in papers Tuesday itself.”
Accusing the BJP-led government of misleading Dalits in the name of Ambedkar, she said the BJP MPs and even Ministers interrupted and did not allow her to finish her speech on a notice of Suspension off Business to discuss Dalit attrocities.
BSP Supremo Mayawati said she was not allowed to raise the issue of atrocities on Dalits. “I have come to this House to be the voice of the Dalits and backwards — to raise their issues. But when I am not allowed to speak then why should I stay here,” she asked while speaking the media after coming out of the Rajya Sabha.
“That’s why I have decided to resign as a Rajya Sabha member today (Tuesday),” Mayawati said. Upset with Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien, for asking her to restrict her impromptu speech on anti-Dalit violence in Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati on Tuesday said she will quit from the Upper House.
